Six divisions of the Kochi Corporation, namely, Edakochi North, Edakochi South, Konam, Panampilly Nagar, Ernakulam Central, and Thrikkanarvattom have been identified as facing ‘high risk’ in a recent vulnerability and risk assessment study carried out in the city.
The risk assessment was carried out as part of the project, ‘Vulnerability and Risk Assessment at urban level and per sector in selected cities, including hazard, vulnerability, and impact forecast maps.’ The assessment was aimed at designing hydro-meteorological resilience action plans in selected urban areas in India under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project Phase II.
The report aims to support the local bodies of Bidhannagar, Kochi, Mangaluru, Panaji, Porbandar, and Ratnagiri to develop vulnerability and risk assessment to assist in developing Resilience Action Plans. The report identifies the vulnerable areas, infrastructure assets, and people exposed to hazards such as urban flooding, drought, landslide, cyclone, rainfall, storm surge, and sea-level rise. The risk assessment for heatwave, urban heat island, and lightning was also carried out for the six local bodies, according to the report.
As many as 16 wards, which includes, Earavely, Karippalam, Panayapally, Elamakkara North, Devankulangara, Karukappilli, Palarivattom, Karanakodam, Thammanam, Ponnurunni East, Vyttila, Giri Nagar, Panampilly Nagar and Elamakkara South, were identified as highly vulnerable to flood hazard. Two divisions of Edakochi North and South are classified as highly vulnerable to storm surge and sea level rise. The assessment found 34 divisions of the local body as highly vulnerable to urban heat island hazard, according to the report that was submitted to the authorities recently.
Maps were prepared for the city showing the hazards, frequency, severity, vulnerability, and risk the city was exposed to. The assessment was carried out by a Netherlands-based consultancy.
The primary survey revealed that slums and low-income groups were more vulnerable to hazards as their coping capacity was less. City buildings such as bus stands, hospitals, important public buildings such as government offices and educational institutions were found more vulnerable to hazards, according to the report.
